


Childhood Reboot

by Bam4Me



Series: The Littlest Jedi [1]
Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Universe - Anakin Skywalker Doesn't Turn to the Dark Side, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxiety Attacks, Aromantic Rex, Disassociative Episodes, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Force Ghost Qui-Gon Jinn, Gen, Jedi are bad at attachments, Obi is deaged to 1.5, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rex Has Anxiety Help Him, de-aged obi-wan, like really bad, rex feels, the clones have shitty mental health care and Ani is Not Pleased, whump Rex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-04-23 16:16:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14336280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bam4Me/pseuds/Bam4Me
Summary: It was weird, whenever some random body changing device decided to ruin their day, but this... well this might be the cutest little kark up Anakin has seen since he came to the temple in the first place.Rex is having a heart attack, if the general doesn't stop putting small objects in his mouth, it will literally be the death of him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted... baby... Obi... so I writ... 
> 
> Real quick: I have had several people ask what age Obi-Wan is cause I switch between calling him baby and toddler a lot and apparently some of you don't know how kids work. He's 1.5. Old enough to walk and talk, got most teeth but still gonna be eating mainly softish foods, isn't the best with stability, needs lots of naps, could survive a fall from someone's arms to the ground if it happened though. Seriously, he's not an infant, and he's not even at the 2 year old stage yet. Very small, but not delicate.
> 
> He remembers them all, but at the same time, his brain is now reverted to an undeveloped stage, so those memories are fuzzy and strange and a little hard to access, so other than adult memories, his thoughts and actions are all baby right now.
> 
> padawansuggest.tumblr.com

“Rex, he’s fine, stop trying to pick him up he’ll just get mad at you again.”

 

“But sir, he isn’t wearing proper shoes, and there are  _ so _ many things he could trip over out here. General no, don’t put that in your mouth!”

 

The commander picked up the fun sized General with one arm, a complete look of horror on his face as he pried a leaf out of Obi-Wan’s mouth, the baby whining angrily at him the whole way. This whole, taking care of babies thing, is not his style. In fact, he’s doing  _ fairly terrible _ when it comes to anything but putting a baby to sleep.

 

No, Rex was  _ horrible _ with active babies. Obi-Wan gets into  _ everything _ and seems to think  _ all _ of it goes in his mouth and this isn’t the first thing he’s had to pry out of that little mouth this morning  _ since _ Obi-Wan got turned into a baby, and this child is testing his patience.

 

Obi-Wan let out a noise halfway between a whimper and a growl, angrily kicking his legs and demanding to be put back on the ground.

 

The ground that was covered in dirt and bugs and leaves and little rocks that he could choke and die on, and honesty, the ground is horrible, Rex hates it.

 

Ahsoka let out a similarly angry sigh, looking back at him with a glare. “Give me the baby. He won’t misbehave with me like he does you. I won’t let him get away with things.”

 

Rex gave the girl the baby, who, to her promise, quieted down with a fearful look in his big big eyes. Rex felt the urge to take him back from her, but not because he was afraid he’d eat something, mainly because he was scared of her like this, and he could see in his big baby eyes, that Obi-Wan was a little scared too.

 

“Snips, don’t pander, I know you want to play with him, but Rex and Cody need to learn how to take care of babies. The clones have never taken care of someone this young. Well, the ones with kids have, but that’s not very many, and none of our teams have taken care of babies before.”

 

Cody and Rex exchanged a look between them. Cody’s been a bit… wary, since Obi-Wan was turned into a baby. It’s always a little bit awkward when your sort of boyfriend is turned into a one and a half year old, but Cody is happily delighted to say that he doesn’t feel a single ounce of attraction towards the little boy. Thank god. He  _ does _ however, want to pinch his chubby little cheeks and give him cuddles. And for the first time since they actually got together, Obi-Wan might accept that affection.

 

“Sir, have you ever taken care of children before?”

 

Anakin snorted. “One of the first things Obi-Wan did with me while I was learning to control myself when he took me to the temple, was dragging me down to the crèche and teach me how to take care of the little ones. Apparently, it’s a galaxy wide trait, that Jedi are well known for taking care of younglings. He said it’s almost a guarantee that at  _ some _ point, someone is going to hand you a baby and expect you not to kill it. I was thirteen the first time a woman handed me a child and just walked away.”

 

Rex made a horrified noise of distress. “Did she  _ come back _ for it?”

 

Anakin shook his head. “Nope. He ended up coming back to the temple with me and Obi-Wan where they tested him and he was found to have a midichlorian count high enough to get into the temple. I still see him whenever I’m in the crèche.”

 

Ahsoka made an amused noise at the shy little boy in her arms and lifted him up enough to nuzzle his little noise against hers in an eskimo kiss, making him squeal happily and reach out for her face, cuddling close. “Aww, you’re just a little sugar baby, aren’t you?” She tossed him up in the air as they were walking, not far, but both clones nearly had heart attacks.

 

It had just been the five of them on this last mission. It was supposed to be some old Jedi temple, less than an hour’s walk from the landing site and back. Normally all of them would have come, get a chance to stretch their legs on the ground, pull the mission out to a half a day or full day while they rotate the crew out for a day long shore leave, but they were trying to keep things as short as possible. A few hours in and out, so they could get these findings back to the temple on Coruscant, but whenever they put too many clones dirtside without a strict mission, things got sidetracked, and they were trying to make it back  _ before _ the end of this rotation.

 

If Anakin and Obi-Wan could have gotten away with staying up there to help repair things, they would be, but the rest of their teams had basically forced them into coming down to the temple with them, saying that if Anakin and Obi-Wan got anymore tense, things were going to get weird.

 

Well… at least they’re smiling now. Even if they weren’t sure how to turn Obi-Wan back into an adult.

 

Life is strange sometimes.

 

***

 

“He’s teeny.”

 

“Yes, Kix, he’s quite small. Are you going to examine him now?”

 

Kix looked over at Helix, who gave him a just as lost shrug. Kix turned back to Anakin, who was holding a cranky baby in his lap. Obi-Was all happy shy smiles while Cody was paying him attention on the way back to the ship, and he was even happy when Ahsoka was tossing him around like a sack of potatoes, but now he was wearing out a little, and with nothing but pure stubborn will of character to keep him awake, he was quite ready to pitch a fit if someone tried to move him thanks.

 

God, being a baby was hard.

 

“He’s… small.”

 

Anakin raised an eyebrow, looking worriedly at the two medics. “Yes, we’ve established that. What’s your point?”

 

Helix looked distinctly uncomfortable, and Kix was staring at the baby with wide wondering eyes. “He’s… none of the other clones were  _ ever _ that little.”

 

He… oh…

 

“You’ve never studied infant anatomy?”

 

Kix shrugged, looking lost and a little upset. “No. We never had any reason to learn. We were going into an army, we were expected to work with adults.”

 

“Children  _ die _ in war, all the clone medics should have basic infant care, and all the clones in general should be trained in how to care for children, to at  _ least _ be able to keep one alive for long enough to get them back to someone else who can take care of them. It was one of the first things my master taught me when I got to the temple. All the padawans are taught childcare.”

 

The medics looked between each other, and Anakin felt  _ terrible _ for pointing it out -as true as it was- because he knew it wasn’t their fault, but he stood his ground firmly. “When we get back to Coruscant, all the clones, in the 212 and 501 at least, will be getting proper childcare training. Non negotiable. This isn’t something that can be ignored. Eventually, a baby will come your way, and that day has come, and we have neglected this.”

 

Both of them looked purely shamed, and Anakin let out a little sigh, cuddling the baby closer when Obi-Wan grizzled and pressed his face into his chest, refusing to look at them all. “Anyways, it’s fine for now. For all we know he could be back to normal the next time he wakes up, and he’s a tired little thing right now. I’m going to go build him a nest in my bed… well I guess I’ll have to stay with him the whole time…”

 

“You… could let him sleep in the infirmary with us?”

 

Anakin looked around the infirmary at the beds before sliding off the one he was sitting on and turning around to start fiddling with the pillows and sheets. “Alright, but these beds are pretty high, you better keep a close eye on him. Even with a nest, babies still have a way of falling off beds.”

 

The baby didn’t even argue that, quiet behind the bobbing pacifier in his mouth, but he did glare at Anakin when the man set him down on the bed, as if offended that Anakin would even dare try, but he was just too tired to put up a fuss about it, passing out in minutes when he was curled up in a blanket between some pillows.

 

***

 

“Small, he is. Bring him to the temple, you will.”

 

Anakin grinned, pressing his lips into the soft baby hair on Obi-Wan’s little head while the baby glared out at the holo projection of all the council gathered and staring at them.

 

Obi-Wan as a baby was… well he was a grumpy little thing that’s for sure, Anakin had expected someone a little more like the sunshine and smiles that had come off the man when Anakin had first met him… before Naboo happened, if only occasionally. Honestly, Anakin had just assumed he’d always been a genuinely happy person before then. Before  _ him _ .

 

He’s not sure if that turned out to be false, and Obi-Wan had  _ always _ been a grumpy butt, or if it was because Obi-Wan seemed to retain some semblance of memory from before. If a bit dulled that is. Anakin isn’t sure if he feels honored or not to be on the receiving end of Obi-Wan’s very clingy love and affection, or if he should be worried. Well, no matter, his master seems to think of him as safe, and that’s what really mattered.

 

Well, it could be the continuing pairbond the two of them still shared. Obi-Wan was oddly silent through his side of the bond, other than occasionally intense emotions that almost gave Anakin a headache, and one specific instance at lunch that day when Obi-Wan’s thoughts had given him such an intense craving for chocolate that it nearly sent him reeling. The two of them had shared a far too large sweet portion in Anakin’s quarters before scrubbing out the rest of the evidence from their teeth so Ahsoka wouldn’t figure out Anakin was hiding sweets from her.

 

“Of course, Master Yoda. We were already planning to come back, the arrival time should be about a week.”

 

Mace sat up with a little frown on his face. “Knight Skywalker, does the Negotiator have resources for a baby? He’s going to be there a week, he’ll need clothes that fit him, foods that are better suited for more delicate mouths, even a toy or two if you want to keep him from throwing a fit. A week might not sound like much, but it’s a small eternity to a child.”

 

Anakin looked between Mace and Obi-Wan for a moment, before cautiously nodding. “Yes, right, there are some places we can stop off to get whatever he might need before we go to hyperspace.”

 

Mace nodded. “See to it.”

 

***

 

The crib had been an obvious choice. Anakin was paranoid, and Obi-Wan was too little to be in a real bed right now. It had a latch on the side, clipping it to the wall of Anakin’s quarters, stable so there was no chance of it sliding anywhere. Standard for ships with younglings on them. Then there were cute little outfits -force, but they were  _ tiny _ \- and Anakin hadn’t been able to hold himself back from all those soft little footie pajamas with animal ears on them. Obi-Wan would look adorable when Anakin put him down for bed later.

 

But Obi-Wan’s favorite thing out of the lot? A stuffed porg, nearly the size of Obi-Wan himself -because of how utterly tiny he was- with soft fur and big eyes. Obi-Wan hasn’t let go of it since Anakin had brought it back with him.

 

“He’s a nice porg, isn’t he, General?”

 

Obi-Wan was sitting in one of the down-rooms of the ship. This was the room where the 501 and 212 spent their downtime together when they weren’t working or on mission. It was nice, with soft couches and tables for them all to spend time at. Obi-Wan was sitting on the floor in front of a couch in the room, Rex’s stern eyes watching him like a predator while he made sure the little one was well cared for. Anakin and Ahsoka were off doing Jedi stuff or whatever, he hadn’t bothered to ask, he had been a little busy prying sticky fingers out of his armor around the time that Anakin and Ahsoka had wandered off, leaving him with the baby and a deepening sense of dread in his stomach that he  _ cannot _ mess up right now.

 

He blinked at the other clones in the room. The speaker was Boil, who was trying to be better with kids, and for a moment, Rex almost pitied him, with the way that Obi-Wan was eying his mustache like it might be an interesting toy. Was Obi-Wan like this as a baby the first time around? Always grabbing things he shouldn’t, sticking everything he could in his mouth, somehow having the stickiest fingers in existence? Force, those crèche masters must have had their hands full with this hyperactive mess.

 

Waxer gave a little snort from the other side of the couch, looking between the two of them with an amused grin while he knit. What was he knitting? Rex had  _ no idea _ , but if he asked him, he was going to have to  _ listen _ to him chatter on about it. Waxer  _ loved _ knitting. Rex loves his vode, but not enough to listen to that for more than three sentences.

 

Okay, he would, and he would even pretend to be interested, but he knew how to avoid having to.

 

Obi-Wan, in true General Kenobi fashion, didn’t answer that question, just blinked up at Boil with those big eyes -Rex swears his eyes are bigger than the porgs- and sat there, contemplatively sucking his pacifier with a little frown. Rex raised an eyebrow at him. “Does he have a name, Obi-Wan?”

 

It felt weird calling him that, but more than half the time, he didn’t respond to anything else, and he always gave them all soleful looks, like it was a betrayal of the highest caliber.

 

Obi-Wan sucked thoughtfully on his pacifier for another few moments before pulling it out with great reluctance. “Master Snuggle Bantha… the fifth.”

 

It was the most coherent thing the little boy had said since he became a little boy in the first place, and Rex’s eyes went wide, and he tried not to laugh. He  _ honestly _ tried not to laugh. Obi-Wan looked so serious, he knew the boy would take insult if he did, but an almost silent snort escaped him before he replied to that. “That name… that’s an amazing name, Obi-Wan. Beautiful. You chose very well.”

 

Waxer was having a hard time stifling giggles behind his hand, leaning over the side of the couch so he could pretend to search for something in a bag, and Boil was turned towards him at the couch, holding onto his ankle with a death grip while he looked like he was internally screaming.

 

Obi-Wan didn’t seem to notice, just beaming at Rex like he’d been given a later bedtime and extra snacks. Such a little angel, you almost wouldn’t guess that he was the bane of Rex’s existence at the current moment.

 

He just wriggled in place, looking pleased as you may, finally showing a little boy full of sunshine and smiles, if a bit shyly, that seemed to have been hidden there. He was pleased. He likes it here. Maybe he’ll stay.

 

***

 

There were no baths on the Negotiator. Of course, there weren’t, they were expected to be a military vessel of war, this ship was built for efficiency and battle. If they put a bath in one fresher, they would have to put one in all of them, which would effectively double the size of all the freshers, taking up valuable room that none of them could afford.

 

Of course, Anakin could just take Obi-Wan with him in the sonic, and Obi-Wan probably wouldn’t complain much about it, but they were in the dead of space, in a generally cold ship, and Obi-Wan  _ liked _ his hot water.

 

And right now he was fighting sleep like a rabid wolf. Nothing for it but a hot bath.

 

“Are you sure this is safe for babies?”

 

Anakin looked up at Cody with a raised eyebrow, before looking back to where he was changing the baby on the floor. Thankfully, out of all the things, Obi-Wan didn’t seem to take upset at needing diapers. Which is good because that would be a terrible tantrum to have to deal with every four to six hours.

 

“Of course it’s fine, we magnetized the crate to the floor, and it’s got no sharp edges or corners. Hey, check the water for me, will you?” Cody was about to reach in with his hand when Anakin let out a little sigh. “No no, elbow.”

 

Cody gave him another unsure look, but started pushing up his blacks past the elbow. It was nearly time for bed when Anakin had asked if he wanted to help bathe the baby, and he’d left his armor in his bunk. He knelt down next to the crate -just big enough to let a baby have a comfy bath- and reached in to put his elbow in the water. It had been steaming when he’d got there with the baby bag for Anakin to clean Obi-Wan up, but it was cooler now.

 

“The skin on your elbow is more sensitive than the skin on your hand. If it’s not too hot on your elbow, it’ll be safe to bathe a baby in.”

 

Obi-Wan let out a little grumble, flipping over onto his front while Anakin cleaned away the supplies, fully naked and uncaring, and made his way over to Cody.

 

Cody was nice, Obi-Wan loved him lots and lots. He’s pretty sure he has an adult relationship with him when he’s bigger, like Anakin has with Padmé, but he can’t, for the life of him, remember what that means.

 

Probably something to do with taxes.

 

Cody pulled his elbow out of the water when the little one started crawling in his direction, a grin taking over his face. “General, you are out of uniform.”

 

He pulled the little one into his arms when Obi-Wan reached out for him, and for a moment, he had that sinking feeling in his gut like he was praying he didn’t mess something up, and it took a few more seconds to connect that feeling back to Obi-Wan’s squirming, and even though he was kneeling on the ground, he was desperately hoping he didn’t drop him, that nothing bad happened to him.

 

It was… similar, to the feeling that he’d had in his gut the first time he’d gotten over himself enough to kiss Obi-Wan when he was bigger. Hoping, not just that this went well, but that he didn’t hurt Obi-Wan. All clones seemed to have a fear of hurting their generals, worried that something might happen because they weren’t attentive enough. But this… well for once, the clone knew  _ fully _ well that he wasn’t just bigger, but stronger than his Jedi. Obi-Wan was so tiny and soft in his arms.

 

It was slightly hard to breathe.

 

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked over to see Anakin giving him an oddly sympathetic look. “Hey, I know it’s weird, but I’m sure this won’t be forever. Yoda said there were some records in the archives that said this has happened before, but he needs to do more research. Some point, he’ll be adult again, and right back to snarking at us about anything he can think of. Why don’t we just focus on the now. First order, bath time.”

 

Cody couldn’t help but give the general a grateful smile, turning back to stick his elbow in the water again. “Cooled down a bit, but still pretty warm.”

 

Anakin nodded, going over to the other side of the crate, and sitting down next to a bottle of baby shampoo and soap. “That’s good, he likes warm. Get him in then.”

 

Cody lowered the little body into the water, and Obi-Wan let out a pleased hum at it. Oh, that was  _ heavenly _ , thank you.

 

“Is that nice, Obi-Wan?”

 

Obi-Wan looked back at Anakin with a noise of pure happiness in his chest, nearly coming out as a purr.

 

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

 

He gathered up the bottles of wash. It was time for a clean sleepy baby.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added new tags, don't complain that the fic isn't 100% about Obi being a baby okay calm

Rex was a  _ massive _ fan of pacifiers. They kept Obi-Wan’s little mouth occupied, and they kept tiny objects from choking him. He’s started carrying around spares even. They keep his anxiety levels low, how amazing.

 

General Skywalker once commented on Rex’s anxiety mixing with General Kenobi’s anxiety, and leading to Weird Happenings™ among other things. It was probably a good thing that they weren’t assigned to each other.

 

He got to the commissary just in time to see Commander Ahsoka and General Skywalker sitting down at an empty table with a tiny whining little Obi-Wan, who immediately crawled out of his lap, making himself at home next to him on the bench.

 

Anakin looked a little nervous at that, and no wonder. Babies weren’t the most stable little creatures. But both Anakin and Ahsoka had assured him that they  _ were _ pretty sturdy, when Obi-Wan had taken a little tumble the other day. He hadn’t even looked for help after that, just standing up on wobbly -chubby- legs and toddling off again.

 

He was  _ exactly _ like his adult counterpart sometimes. Right down to that little pout.

 

Rex knew exactly why Cody was so infatuated with the man, but he wasn’t interested in that. Not with Obi-Wan anyways. With the other brothers, sure, but not with the general. Rex couldn’t be soft with him like Cody could.

 

They fit better. 

 

Rex just sighed and went to go grab a tray of his own, coming over to sit on the other side of Obi-Wan, who was whining when Anakin took away his pacifier, before placidly taking the fruit slice the man held out in replacement. He seemed to dub that a good replacement, and hummed in contentment, more mushing at the fruit than really eating it.

 

Rex looked down at the toddler when he gazed up at him in wonder, raising a single eyebrow. “Food better be the only thing that goes in your mouth right now.”

 

Obi-Wan just hummed, scooting over so he could curl up into his leg, one of his little feet shoving into Anakin’s leg.

 

How innocent.

 

***

 

As it turns out, Rex’s anxiety induced fretting has inadvertently put him on babysitting duty for the parts of this trip that Anakin is on duty with Ahsoka.

 

Which, apparently no one told Anakin, but it’s not  _ helping _ Rex’s baby related anxiety, it is, in fact, making everything worse, thanks. He doesn’t want to think about all the places that Obi-Wan can  _ fall _ and get an owie, he doesn’t want to think about all the tiny little parts he could put in his mouth and choke on, he doesn’t want to think about what would happen if Obi-Wan didn’t tell them he needed a diaper change and got a rash, he doesn’t want-

 

Anxiety. It’s bad. But no matter how bad it gets, he can’t just  _ walk away _ , because what if something happened while he wasn’t looking. What if someone wasn’t looking where they were walking and Obi-Wan got  _ stepped on _ .

 

Which is why, they were visiting someone that Rex is  _ sure _ will be amazing with Obi-Wan. Cody. Who was all the way in the bridge.

 

The bridge, that Rex is only now remembering has  _ big gaping holes _ in the floor where the clones worked in their spaces, that a baby could just  _ fall into _ -

 

He’s going to stop that train of thought right there. 

 

“Obi-Wan, these steps are high, could I help you get up them?”

 

Obi-Wan toddled away on fast little legs when Rex made a motion to pick him up. He was holding Master Snuggle Bantha the Fifth in his arms, and it made it hard to see where he was going, but when he momentarily bumped into a wall, he just let out a little huff of air and changed direction and kept on moving. Rex tried not to wince.

 

“No,  _ I _ do it! Me!” The words were garbled behind his pacifier, but Rex understood it well. Obi-Wan  _ did not _ want help.

 

He stopped next to the steps. They up to his tummy, and there were  _ five _ of them that he would need to climb. That’s a long ways up for someone about two and a half feet tall, holding an obese porg nearly the same size as him. He looked between the stairs and the porg for a moment, before shoving him up onto the steps with a huff, and starting to climb up onto the first step with a look of effort on his face.

 

Rex would rather he just allow himself to be picked up, but he was proud of him for trying. Then again, he expects nothing less from Obi-Wan.

 

He watched while Obi-Wan did it over again with the next four steps. He was probably a little dirty now, but unharmed, and most importantly, with a little grin on his face, proud of his accomplishments.

 

Being a baby has probably been really hard on him too. He’s trying so hard. 

 

Rex feels a swell of emotion in his chest at that, and immediately stomps on it, hating it. This is why he didn’t get close to people, because it felt nice.

 

Because it hurt when they died or left him.

 

Cody was one of the ones he couldn’t keep himself from getting close to. Anakin and Ahsoka were others. His team was an unfortunate add to that list. He needed to stop. 

 

“Rex, are you okay?”

 

Rex turned only a little, seeing General Skywalker standing a good ten feet away, looking at him funny. He turned back and climbed the steps in time to grab Obi-Wan’s little hand and keep him from toddling off again. “I’m fine. Did you need something?”

 

Anakin tapped his fingers against his thigh, looking around a little wild eyed. “You seem anxious. You don’t normally seem anxious when we’re not on mission.”

 

Rex gave Anakin a bland look, before looking down at Obi-Wan, who was playing with the porg now. “We  _ are _ on mission.”

 

Anakin’s fingers stopped tapping, and he let out a sigh. “If you don’t want to watch him, I can find someone else. I thought… I thought you  _ wanted _ to spend time with him.”

 

Rex kept himself from squeezing that little hand too tight, looking away with a frown. “I  _ do _ like spending time with him.”

 

That was the problem. He was so little and… different… Rex would miss him when he was gone. He missed a lot of people when they were gone.

 

Things were so much easier back on Kimono, as terrible as life there was sometimes. At least all his brothers were together.

 

He wondered what it would be like if the kimonians didn’t use rapid aging on the clones. He’d like to take care of some tiny clones.

 

“You seem distracted.”

 

Anakin was closer now, but Rex didn’t startle, just raising an eyebrow at the man. “I’m fine.”

 

Anakin stared at him, uncomfortably close for a moment, before reaching over and putting a hand on his shoulder. Rex just stared at it.

 

“What’s that for?”

 

Anakin shrugged, looking awkward. “I don’t really know. Obi-Wan does that to me when I’m upset.”

 

Rex couldn’t hold back the giggling snort that came out, breaking down into little laughs as Anakin kept staring at him. Obi-Wan tugged on his hand and he looked down at him, finding that the baby was pointing to someone behind them. Cody.

 

“Okay kiddo, you can go see Cody, but make sure he sees you’re there.”

 

Obi-Wan nodded, pulling the porg to his chest and looking determined with his new goal. Even though Rex was trying to grant him this one independence, he couldn’t help but watch him the whole way there, worried that something would distract him. When Obi-Wan was safely giggling in Cody’s arms, he turned around with a little huff.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Rex blinked at him, looking down. “I’m serviceable, General.”

 

Anakin let out the saddest little sigh. “Serviceable and okay aren’t the same thing. Come with me, Cody will watch Obi-Wan for now.”

 

Rex nodded and followed the general down the hallway to his office. 

 

“Sir, is this about my performance? I can… change whatever you think I’m lacking in-”

 

“Rex, your performance is, as always, commendable. You are my second for a reason. But you have issues with… anxiety. Obi-Wan has anxiety too, and he sees a mind healer for it when he can at the temple. I think making you take care of a child is making you more anxious than you would be on the ship, and that’s not fair to you.”

 

Rex seemed to think about that for a minute, before replying. “He’s really… little. And since he’s so little, anything bad could happen to him. So you’re right, I have anxiety about something bad happening to him, so I started watching him to make sure he’s okay, because I don’t want to lose General Kenobi as well. We’ve lost so much in this war, and I’m tired of it. But now I see him and… when he disappears, it’ll be like… losing a child.”

 

Anakin looked pained. “That is… well you’re right, that’s bad. But Obi-Wan will be back to normal soon.”

 

Rex nodded. “I try not to get attached. I don’t know how you Jedi do it.”

 

Anakin snorted, shaking his head. “If you think none of us are attached, you haven’t been paying much attention. Especially since the war started. We’re especially attached to you guys. The clones are… we’re attached, and don’t let anyone lie about it. I think my lineage has a bad track record of attachment. Just… you need to stop thinking of Obi-Wan as a child and as an adult, as separate people. Maybe he won’t remember a thing about this, maybe he’ll remember everything, but no matter what, they’re both still in there. It’s just a different package.”   
  


Rex snorted at that. The irony of a natural born with two bodies, as opposed to an army of millions of people with all one face.

 

Anakin sighed. “When we get back to Coruscant, I want you to meet with one of the mind healers. The clones don’t have much in the way of mental health as far as I know.”

 

Rex shrugged. “We’re built to fight a war. You don’t need to waste that on me.”

 

“Yes, I really do. Because I’m attached, like I shouldn’t be, and the idea of you not getting the help you need, makes me feel sick. The idea of  _ all _ of you needing more help than you’re getting, but this at least I can help, maybe.”

 

Rex scrunched up his nose a little, tilting his head to the side in confusion. “Why would you even admit to that? I bet you’d have to pull teeth to get any other Jedi to admit to attachment.”

 

Anakin looked distinctly uncomfortable. “I grew up a slave. Just because you don’t have an implosion chip in your chest, doesn’t mean you’re any more free than I was. I wish you didn’t have to fight this war, but it’s not my decision. I’m not sure what I can do about that yet. I’m not sure if I  _ can _ help that, but I know damn well I’m not the only Jedi trying. Your mental health isn’t a wasted resource. Just let us take care of you for once?”

 

Rex sighed. Not much of this helped the pit in his stomach. “I’ll see one of the mind healers in the temple if you want me to, sir.”

 

Anakin nodded. He wasn’t a healer, he wasn’t going to make anything better with a conversation. “Thank you. You’re free to leave.”

 

The clone nodded and left, looking a little more  _ present _ than before at the very least. Obi-Wan never had dissociative episodes like he’d found Rex in the middle of. He’d always said that Master Qui-Gon coached him into being mindful and bringing himself back to awareness so he’d never find himself vulnerable like that.

 

Seeing Rex vulnerable like that, it… made him want to hug the man. Rex was too much like Obi-Wan in that case. He would be more likely to startle at a hug than return it, much less feel comforted by it.

 

Anyways, speaking of the old master he never got the chance to properly know…

 

“Why is it that you only show up when one of us gets hurt? Why can’t you just, show up, to, I don’t know, show me an embarrassing baby photo album of Obi-Wan? Or, talk about how boring the senate assignments are?”

 

Anakin didn’t look up from the desk as he spoke, but he could feel the presence in the force rounding the desk so it could ‘sit’ in the chair Rex had vacated.

 

“I’m afraid I don’t actually have any baby photos of Obi-Wan from the first time around, though I remember when the crèche accepted him. He looked exactly the same as he does now.”

 

Anakin gave a rueful smile. “Did he have that same pout?”

 

The force ghost of Qui-Gon Jinn gave Anakin a brilliant smile. “Always. He’d put up a fuss when someone tried to carry him, he didn’t talk much unless he thought about it first, and he was  _ just _ as bad at naming his stuffed animals back then.”

 

Anakin snorted, sitting up with a shake of his head. “He’s an  _ independant boy _ , he can walk on his own.”

 

Qui-Gon couldn’t keep the smile off his face. “Not much has changed about his general personality. Still a pain, still a joy.”

 

Anakin shook his head a little. “You watched him when he was still in the crèche, but you didn’t take him till he was older.”

 

“When he was little, I knew he was mine.” The tone wasn’t possessive, but the words… their lineage was  _ terrible _ with attachments. “I think, in the end, it might have even contributed to Xanatos’s upset. Maybe he knew that I had my eye on someone else and felt the need to lash out. I don’t know. But when Xan fell… I couldn’t keep looking at Obi-Wan. But at the same time, no other master would possibly claim him, because he wasn’t theirs. Obi-Wan asked me  _ three _ times, to take him as a padawan. And I didn’t say yes until he’d nearly died.”

 

Anakin thought that over for a moment. “You tried to send him to the AgriCorps so he’d be safe, and when you almost lost him you couldn’t handle it.”

 

“I could handle knowing he was alive and well somewhere else. I didn’t want the chance of him falling, because that would damage his eternal soul. But then he almost died, and it hurt too much to let go again.”

 

Their lineage was  _ extremely terrible _ at attachments. 

 

“I never leave you two. I’m here, even when it’s boring. I’m here even when Obi-Wan is clumsily flirting with his second in command, even when you’re getting married on Naboo. I don’t only come in danger, I just make sure to remind you I’m here when it looks like you need me.”

 

“Why show yourself to me? Obi-Wan is the one that got turned into a baby.”

 

Qui-Gon looked sad at that. “Obi-Wan tends to have sad reactions to me when I show up, and I wasn’t sure how inconsolable he might become if I appeared now. I might consider trying it, but I want Master Yoda there when I do. He would help.”

 

Anakin’s flesh hand twitched, and he watched it for a moment, feeling weird. “Something is different. Can’t you feel it? The force is… it’s reaching in a new direction.”

 

A good direction? A better one, anyways. Anything would be better than the direction it was in before, nothing but a speeder crash that he couldn’t look away from, no matter how horrifying. It was almost like he could feel hope again now. 

 

Hope for the order, hope for the clones even. Maybe he could really give Rex and the clones what they deserved. What they needed. The deserved freedom, and they needed help. All of them.

 

But first, Rex. He could start there. Rex needed to see the mind healers as much as Obi-Wan did. 

 

“Things are in motion because of Obi-Wan, and I think they’ll change for the better. You should really take the time to just sit down and breath, maybe?”

 

Is that really true? Could one thing change so much… of course it could.

 

“Will you still be here for us?”

 

Qui-Gon walked over to stand next to Anakin’s chair, and Anakin couldn’t feel anything but tingling when he put a hand to his face. “I have never left you. I won’t if I can now.”

 

***

 

Anakin decided to spend the rest of the day, and the journey afterwards, with Obi-Wan and his padawan. You needed family close, in times like these.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, if you ask me when this will be updated, I will crawl out of your screen like the girl in the Ring


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen, yes, I update things stupidly slow, but I have a million and a half plot bunnies to tend to so tbh SOMETHING has to get ignored as I go, so plz, none of the 'plz update' or 'omfg you're not dead' comments, they honestly piss me off so much. But comments are still appreciated.
> 
> Also, btw, in case any of you thought this was just a random fic for cute baby Obi, you're right, but also it has a plot and if you squint you can see it forming in this chapter. Lol.

Obi-Wan laid back on the bed in Anakin’s quarters, sucking leisurely on the pacifier in his little mouth. This was the life. People taking care of him, snuggles whenever he wanted them, and a few times when he didn’t, and the best part of all, he didn’t even need to get himself dressed. Ani seemed to love doing that part himself.

 

Today’s outfit was overalls with a green stripy shirt underneath. It was soft and made him feel nice.

 

Anakin grinned when he pulled the second clasp into place, -Obi-Wan had no idea how he did that, it was like a padlock to his little fingers- saying in a sing-song voice, “all done, sweetie! Well, don’t you look handsome, huh? Such a dashing figure you make.”

 

Obi-Wan curled away from him, looking shy, his little hand coming up to cover the back of his paci while he tried not to blush. Ani was the best, he made Obi-Wan go all shy around him when he praised him. Ani just smiled down at him, looking a little tearful, but Obi-Wan couldn’t figure out why. Maybe Ani thought that Obi-Wan didn’t like the praise and was upset with him? Obi-Wan reached out a little chubby hand for him and Ani took it in his own, grinning wide before pressing a kiss to that little palm.

 

“The absolutely  _ best _ boy. Alright, time to get up. The ship will be landing in a few hours, and we need to make sure we’re ready. Where’s SnuBan?”

 

Obi-Wan looked around, a little confused. Where  _ was _ Master Snuggle Bantha? “Snu?”

 

Ani looked around the room with a concerned look in his eye, and Obi-Wan felt a pit of dread forming in his stomach, tears welling up in his eyes as he thought of the implications of all that this could mean. Where was Master Snuggle Bantha the fifth? Where was his furry best friend?

 

This could not end well.

 

***

 

The living quarters on the ship were in absolute chaos, clones looking in crates, checking inside of wall cabinets, even the occasional one calling for the lost stuffie like an idiot, because as always, when something goes wrong with a child, all the adults turn into morons.

 

Obi-Wan was the most distrought of all, of course, big tears dribbling down his chubby pink cheeks, dejectedly checking underneath a grate in the wall while calling out, “Snu?”

 

It broke Anakin’s heart. It truly did. He had tried -several times- to pick the young toddler up and comfort him, but nothing was okay without Obi-Wan’s fuzzy little friend, nothing could soothe the hurt in Obi-Wan’s torn and ravaged soul as he searched for his friend, who was probably alone and scared, plucked from the safety that was Obi-Wan’s warm embrace, out into the cold of the ship in the deep of space, without anyone to help him if he falls to the ground.

 

Oh what cruel life is this that fate could wrought such disaster upon those would do no harm!

 

His heart was broken, he could go no further, he could love no other, his life was a mess, and so, he set down to the ground, tears still coming, as he resigned himself to his fate of lonesome heartache for the rest of his days, his fuzzy soulmate ripped from his arms too soon-

 

“What is going on here?”

 

Obi-Wan looked up from his dejected heartbreak, hope shining in his eyes as he took in the clone to address the rest. He knew him, by his aura and his short blonde hair, and Obi-Wan knew that he would be his savior in this case.

 

Rex.

 

Obi-Wan let out a loud little sob, scrambling to his feet -with the help of Anakin who didn’t try to stop him when he pushed away from him when he was up- and reached his hands up towards the clone as he ran towards him -and almost fell along the way- who just watched him with worried eyes.

 

Rex was wearing his soft uniform, the one that he insisted he hated, but Obi-Wan has been climbing on him on and off all week, so he’s resigned to his fate of a soft uniform with a loaded blaster on his hip.

 

There may not have been any mess ups on the hyperspace ride home, but he still didn’t like it. But it kept the baby from getting bruised on his armor.

 

He hefted the sobbing little boy up on his hip, letting him bury his tear and snot wet face in his shoulder. Rex listened with half an ear as the clones explained their search for the lost stuffed animal, gently rubbing Obi-Wan’s back while Anakin just looked sad and rejected as Obi-Wan took comfort elsewhere.

 

Rex let out a sigh, making them all shut up, and turned to Anakin. “Alright, the others can keep looking, but I’m going to take Obi-Wan back to your room to clean up and… calm down.”

 

Anakin just gave a sad little nod. “Cody still on the bridge?”

 

Rex nodded, watching him sadly wander off towards the bridge. Anakin and Cody were both some of Obi-Wan’s favorites, but Rex seemed to have a firm spot as Obi-Wan’s favorite person to make carry him around.

 

Rex just tucked his little head close and started back towards Anakin’s quarters.

 

The room wasn’t all that big, just Anakin’s bunk inset into the wall, and a desk covered in various pads and spare parts -that he really shouldn’t have out while he had a baby staying with him- and a crib attached to the wall next to the fresher. Rex pulled out the diaper bag from the corner of the bunk and gently detached the boy from his chest.

 

Now that they were away from all the distressed clones, Obi-Wan wasn’t actively crying anymore, but he looked exhausted and upset. Rex was gentle with wiping his face for him, and changing his diaper while he was down.

 

He closed the last clasp on Obi-Wan’s overalls, and gave him a little poke to his belly. Obi-Wan gave him an exhausted little smile. “Hey there, all clean now, aren’t you?”

 

Obi-Wan nodded, looking minutes away from a nap. Rex was thankful for the lack of armor now, Obi-Wan could nap on him during the transition back to Coruscant. He’d fussed a bit on the ride back to the ship in the first place. Obi-Wan had never liked in-atmospheric travel.

 

He went over to the crib to grab Obi-Wan’s blanket. It was a nice soft fleece blanket that Anakin had picked out for him, and it was warm. Good for space travel. He pulled out the blanket and froze.

 

Oh… Anakin was going to kick himself.

 

“General Skywalker.” He tapped his earpiece, and less than a second later he got a reply. 

 

“What is it, Rex?”

 

“You can call off the search for the missing porg.”

 

“You found him! Where was he?”

 

“...tangled up in his blanket back in Obi-Wan’s crib.”

 

The pause was long drawn out, and Anakin sounded genuinely embarrassed when he replied now. “Oh. Well… thank you for locating him. Take Obi-Wan’s supplies and him and head for the loading bay, we leave for the temple in ten minutes.”

 

***

 

Obi-Wan was sluggishly laying against Rex’s chest when they got to the loading bay, sucking placidly on his paci with a blanket tossed over his back and the -previously missing- stuffed porg gripped in his little fist like he was afraid his friend would disappear again. He blinked slowly, eyes closing a little longer every time they shut, but he wasn’t out yet.

 

Anakin looked like he was going to say something, but after catching sight of the baby tucked up against his commander’s chest he deflated and motioned for Rex to get in the landing ship. Ahsoka looked just as eager to see the baby, but wisely kept her mouth shut at the sight of him, giving a little sigh when she watched Obi-Wan’s eyes drift shut for the last time, no longer opening anymore. He was down for the count and if anyone was dumb enough to wake him, they would regret it.

 

Cody stood next to him on the ship, wearing the same soft uniform as him. Cody was much less opposed to the more comfortable of the uniforms available to them, but Rex had the feeling that it was mostly because he’s spent the past week attempting to tempt the little boy away from Rex for snuggles. And he often got them.

 

Rex desperately hoped he wouldn’t wake up on the ride down to the temple, because Obi-Wan’s little cries put a wrench in his very soul. 

 

His wishes were granted when the ride to the surface went smoothly, the glider landing in a private hanger in the temple, which was good, because all that noise of the city planet would have woken the boy for sure.

 

If he was woken within the next hour, he was more likely to throw a tantrum than anything.

 

Disembarking was as quiet as they could manage to make it, every clone and Jedi on the ship remembering the breakdown that had come from a lost stuffed animal. Mace and Yoda were waiting for them, and seemed to take in the utter silence that followed them. Rex grunted once, moving forward enough that Mace could take a peek under the blanket over Obi-Wan’s little body, where absolutely none of him was out in the open, nothing but a gap so his face wasn’t covered for fresh air. Mace took in the exhausted baby and the way they were all loath to wake him, and nodded, motioning for them to follow him out into the temple.

 

“The pediatrician healers would like to run tests on him, but that can wait until later when he’s awake, for now, we all have much to discuss of your mission. Captain Rex, I’ll let you bring him back to his quarters for his nap, so as not to wake him.”

 

Rex nodded at them and after a look to Anakin, left with the baby still on his chest, going the short way back to the living quarters Obi-Wan shared with Anakin and Ahsoka.

 

Oh, Obi-Wan was likely going to want him and Cody nearby, all of them in one living space was going to get crowded. Maybe there was an empty living space in their hall that Cody and Rex could take for now.

 

Hell, maybe the council will finally assign Anakin and Ahsoka their own quarters and Rex and Cody could stay with the baby where he was most familiar. There were many options.

 

***

 

They had been in temple for a total of two hours before Obi-Wan woke up on the couch in his quarters. He looked around frantically for a moment, though he knew exactly where he was, this was  _ not _ where he’d fallen asleep before! He didn’t approve of that.

 

A hand closed around his little ankle, patting him soothingly. “Calm down, Ob’ika, you’re safe here, nothing getting past us.”

 

In this case, ‘us’ turned out to be Fives and Echo. Obi-Wan bristled at that, no longer frightened, but simply annoyed. He didn’t  _ approve _ of his regular caregivers running off without him either. He didn’t approve of Fives calling him baby names -though admittedly, if it had come from Rex or Cody he would had preened at the name, but he’s just woken up, and he’s had a very rough day, and he’s terribly small, so you can imagine the stress he’s currently under- and he didn’t approve of Echo looking at him like he might bite -he might, if their hands got too close to his face- and he  _ wanted Rex right now. _

 

“Vod, I don’t think he cares if anything can get past you, he looks like he’s gonna throw a fit.”

 

Fives let out the saddest sigh ever. Him and Echo have been trying to play with the little one  _ all week _ . Well, he’s been trying to play with the little one all week, and Echo is his other half, so he’s been there too, but still, he was hoping for cuddles and playing, not glares and possibly getting bit.

 

“Ob’ika, Rex and Cody will be back soon, I promise. They needed to check in with the high council.”

 

Obi-Wan glared. “Want mine,  _ now _ .”

 

Fives raised an amused eyebrow, obviously playing with fire here. “ _ Yours _ , huh?”

 

Obi-Wan nodded tersely. “Mine. Ner ltara, va gar.”

 

Echo was hiding his laughing behind his hand while Fives looked outright offended. He wasn’t sure if it was the lisping little accent that Obi-Wan spoke in, or the words themselves, but the look on his brother’s face was priceless.

 

“ _ Your clones, not us? _ General Kenobi, that’s very rude of you, entirely undiplomatic I would say. Why do Rex and Cody get all the love?”

 

Obi-Wan considered that, he honestly considered that. He didn’t have an answer for it. He gave a little baby shrug. “Dunno. Is.”

 

Fives sighed, standing up from the floor with a stretch. “Alright alright, enough of that. While everyone else is busy, you’re stuck with us for a little bit, and I think it’s about lunch time. What do babies eat, Echo?”

 

“Probably none of the surwaeroe you shove down your throat.”

 

Fives just left them too it, going to scour the kitchen for something edible that wouldn’t kill a baby. It was harder than it looked.

 

There was a buzzing at the door and he heard Echo let out a little yelp. He stepped back into the living room to see his brother had scooped up the little one into his arms, because Obi-Wan had apparently, made a dive for the door.

 

Well, as long as his force sight wasn’t faulty from being turned into a mite, it likely wasn’t anyone dangerous on the other side. He watched Obi-Wan make sad little noises from Echo’s arms without any sympathy at all. General Skywalker was very firm that little boys didn’t run off on their own, and it likely applied to answering doors without an adult with them.

 

He sidestepped them and went to answer the door for them.

 

“Oh, General Yoda, hello.”

 

Yoda looked up at him from that hoverchair of his, looking old and careworn for all the world to see, if you hadn’t gone into battle with him to know exactly the destruction he could cause. There was a tray of food piled up behind him, floating midair in a move that Echo and Fives were starting to realize -after spending so much time with their own generals- was actually fairly impressive, since it was out of his sight. It was interesting to see, because after spending so much time with Generals Kenobi and Skywalker, you tended to forget that this sort of thing actually requires control.

 

“Fives. Lunch time it is, and the little one must be fed.”

 

It was slightly terrifying how accurate some Jedi could be about these matters. Fives stepped aside to let the little old Jedi through.

 

***

 

Rex and Cody weren’t sure what they would come back to, but it wasn’t this. The two of them had just had the most  _ interesting _ talk with the temple healers about their mental health, and the mental health of the clones under their command. It was strange and a little upsetting to finally have someone other than their own vode asking them how they were doing. Rex really didn’t like it. Upon approaching Obi-Wan’s quarters, Fives met them in the hallway, a disgruntled look on his face. “Rex, I think the Jedi have finally jumped off the deep end.”

 

Rex and Cody shared a wary look between them. After one of their generals  _ literally _ being turned into a child, you’d think nothing could phase the clones.

 

Apparently, they were wrong. “What do you mean, Fives?”

 

Fives looked like he was praying for patience. “They’re… talking to imaginary people.”

 

Cody let out a sigh of epic proportions. “Let me guess, some Jedi named Jinn, right?”

 

Fives stood up a little straighter. “How’d you figure?”

 

Cody shrugged, looking uneasy. “Obi-Wan told me about how when his master died, he never passed into the force, just stuck around to… haunt him? Well he said it was to haunt him, I dunno about you though, if I died and my kid was left traumatized by it, I’d probably stick around to make sure they were okay. Obi-Wan says  _ haunt _ , but it’s a little more  sayr than that.”

 

Fives just looked more creeped out if anything. “Vod, that’s  _ weird _ .”

 

Rex gave Cody an equally horrified look. “He’s right, that’s weird. His dead master won’t leave him alone?”

 

Cody sighed again, looking uncomfortable. “Listen, it’s not as bad as it sounds. Obi-Wan says it helps him to know he’s still  _ around _ , I guess.”

 

Fives just shook his head, holding back a full body shiver. “Well, that’s not it completely. Skywalker says there’s some second presence floating around but Jinn won’t tell any of them who it is. A  _ second _ ghost. I don’t like it.”

 

Rex snorted. “You’re just upset because you don’t know how to fight a ghost.”

 

Rex bristled, but he couldn’t argue that. He should know how to fight these people in case they became a  _ threat _ to them.

 

“Listen, he made Obi-Wan  _ cry _ . I don’t like him or his little vague friend.”

 

Rex sighed. Obi-Wan cried if you gave him the wrong food. It wasn’t that hard to get the waterworks going. He replied before Cody could, knowing that the commander was likely to rush straight to anger, needing to defend his general. “How did he make him cry?”

 

Cody glared at him for getting there first.

 

“He said… the  _ other _ presence, he said, that it was his new student. At which point Obi-Wan started crying saying he’d been replaced. Of course, I had to have Ahsoka translate that for me, because I can’t kriffing well  _ see _ the damn ghost.”

 

Cody looked distressed at that. Rex just looked at the door like he didn’t want to go in anymore. Too much weird force shit and you started to get trepidation about certain things, and force ghosts were on that list.

 

He understood where Fives was coming from. He sighed. “Well, we might as well go in. We won’t know anything unless we see it for ourselves.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> translations:  
> Vod/e - sibling/s (people think it means brother, but it's gender neutral and I used it for the clones talking to each other because if you don't think there are trans clones then fuck you)  
> Ob'ika - nickname, I forgot the direct translation of ika (and the translator I used for that before seems to be suspiciously broken...) but it basically means 'little Obi'  
> Ner ltara, va gar. - My clones, not you.  
> Surwearow - crap  
> Sayr - Parental

**Author's Note:**

> anyways, more to come, but I swear if any of you ask for more or when I'm gonna update, I'll scream, just subscribe and move on, but yes, I would like comments, if only to say if you liked something 
> 
> padawansuggest.tumblr.com


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